Jake Arrieta pitched well in the nightcap, tossing six innings while surrendering one run, but even that proved to be too much for the Phils' bats to overcome.
The Phillies have now scored just three runs in their last three games.
“This is not the story of the season,” Phillies manager Gabe Kapler told reporters Wednesday. “It’s the story of the last couple of weeks.”
Spanning the past month, the Phils are hitting .237 as a team, the fourth-worst figure in all of baseball. The club has also scored just 114 runs (7th worst) and has an OPS of .301 (7th worst).
“It’s a low point for us, but they happen over the course of seven months,” Arrieta said. “We’ve played really well, we’ve played poorly. This is just one of those spots we need to try to get out of as quick as possible. We’re only a series away or a four- or five-game stretch away from being back on track. The guys aren’t really happy with the way the day went. It was a really long day for the guys. We have a chance to come out tomorrow, end on a high note and go back home and string some wins together.”
Nick Pivetta will start Thursday's finale in Washington. He's posted a 2.70 ERA over four starts since rejoining the rotation after a demotion to Triple-A. The Nationals will counter with Erick Feede.
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